What will they say?

It is a question I ask myself almost daily. Unforunately, it is impossible to answer. We do not hold the capacity to know what the future will bring. But the good thing about life is that although the future is unkown, the past is here to guide us. YALers know this very well; we understand that in the present our resources are being stretched too thin around the world, that our economic policy is driving us toward complete financial ruin, and civil liberties are being encroached upon regularly. As observers of history, then, we understand that this is not uncommon of powerful countries that eventually crumble. We understand that, as Rep. Ron Paul says, "All empire end for financial reasons."

Not everyone is on the same page as us, though. Some people, whether intentionally or not, ignore history and the valuable lessons that can be learned from it. Many people are too egotistical, too nationalistically ignorant, to think that the United States could ever succumb to such a downfall. But while these people live their lives without referencing history, pro-liberty activists are fighting the seemingly inevitable decline of the United States. It would be naive to degrade our movement's potential. In fact, I don't know if it can be overstated: I sincerely believe we have the power to change history and write the future.

And so imagine in 200 years a textbook is written and recognizes a small but motivated group of young people as those who saved America from its own downfall. Imagine that it was Young Americans for Liberty that preserved freedom; that we beat the status quo. And then, after the thought of that sinks in, act. "No small act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted." In the same manner: no small act for liberty, no matter how small, is ever wasted. What will they say in 200 years? Only our actions will decide.